Cassie DeNisco

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My Hello Fresh Review

In today’s world, if you scroll through Facebook you’re almost guaranteed to see an ad for Hello Fresh or even a Hello Fresh Review. I’m not going to lie, Hello Fresh does seem like a great meal solution. The fact that it all comes pre-measured and in one package makes life so simple so who wouldn’t want to give it a shot?

I received two free box coupons from my cousin so I decided to choose one veggie box and a meat & veggie box. There are no dietary restrictions in my house or kids but I did appreciate the types of box options. Once I chose the box, I chose a delivery day and got to pick the meals. I would give the app and overall 10 out of 10. It was easy to use and made what I was looking for accessible.

As for delivery, both boxes came on the designated day and were in the iconic Hello Fresh box. I like that everything was labeled out and I only got the necessary ingredients. It definitely helps to not be wasteful. I can’t tell you the amount of times that I’ve been at the grocery store for a recipe and did not use the full amount of stuff I got. It also is nice because it really helps with portion control and not having too many leftovers.

All of the meals I had were yummy. I loved the Couscous Bowl the most and my least favorite was definitely the Sausage Gnocchi. Whether you like a meal is based on personal preference so definitely no lost stars here. I LOVED the recipe sheets. They were so clear and informative. Not only did it give you step by step directions but it also said all of the pans and other things that you would need to use. The amount of time that you would need to complete the meal was also right on the front and it made meal planning so easy.

As for the negatives, one of the things I found was that the packaging is pretty wasteful. There’s plastic covering most of the foods because they are pre packed so I would like to see Hello Fresh maybe use eco friendly containers. I also thought that for two people, 60 for 3 meals seemed a little expensive. I can go to the grocery story for 60 a week and get enough meals for a week. I think to solve both problems of plastic and cost, it might be useful for them to make 3 meals out of the same ingredients for that week. It would probably cut down on the plastics and maybe the cost.

If you can look past the expense and plastics, I do think Hello Fresh is useful if you’re too busy to put together healthy meals for yourself. For an overall rating, I think I would give my Hello Fresh Review an 8 out of 10. I definitely would sign up and purchase my own boxes here and there when I know I’m having a busy week. I’m not sure if I would use it every week but I must say I am impressed overall with the company!

  • Veggie Rissotto
  • Japanese Beef Tacos
  • Couscous Bowl
  • Gnocchi with Sausage
  • Mac n Cheese
  • Kickin’ Penne

*This is not an ad or sponsored, all opinions are my own*

Follow me on Instagram @cassiedenisco! My Latest post is here!

My Quick Dinner Recipe

quick dinner recipe

I’m back with a super yummy quick dinner recipe. This is probably one of my favorite meals for fall and winter because its a one pan meal. This means you literally chop it all up and then put it on a pan in the oven and you have a meal in no time. This quick dinner recipe can be made vegetarian. You also can easily swap out any of my ingredients for something that you love. I love meals like this that you can easily swap out ingredients for whatever is in season. It helps to make healthy eating that much easier. Let’s get into my favorite quick dinner recipe.

Ingredients for Quick Dinner Recipe:

Brown Rice

Sweet potatoes

Carrots

Broccoli

Brussel Sprouts

Chicken breast

Olive Oil

Directions: (it’s literally so easy!)

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
  2. Start by chopping everything up into cubes or just smaller pieces.
  3. Place veggies on one side of pan and the chicken on the other. Sprinkle the olive oil over just the veggies.
  4. Put it in the oven until the chicken is fully cooked and the veggies are to your liking. It’s usually about 25-30 minutes for me.
  5. Plate with brown rice and top with salt, pepper, or any other seasonings you love.

Guys I wasn’t joking when I said I had a recipe by Chef Cass. I’m so so obsessed with making this because it makes great leftovers. This quick dinner recipe also can be meal prepped on a Sunday night and used throughout the week. I absolutely love this recipe because it’s so yummy and easy to make! Let me know if you have any other easy one pan recipes that you are obsessed with in the comments below!

Check out my Pinterest for more recipes @cassiedenisco !

Click here for my last post!

Acai Bowls at Home

acai bowls

It might be fall but I still love acai bowls for breakfast! Not only are they super delicious but they also keep me full all morning. The real key to acai bowls are the consistency. My recipe is guaranteed to make you the perfect bowl each and every time. Feel free to alter my recipe however you’d like or use it as is. I absolutely love acai bowls and I even have included a hack to making them even easier.

Ingredients:

Frozen acai packets

1 Banana

1 c mixed berries

1/2 c almond milk

1 scoop collagen peptides

1 scoop of protein power (any flavor)

Directions:

  1. In a blender, I prefer the Nutri bullet, blend the acai, 1/2 of the banana and the mixed berries.
  2. Once somewhat blended add the collagen, protein powder, and blend.
  3. Gradually add the milk. Make sure you only add it a little at a time so that you can ensure it stays as a bowl and doesn’t turn into a smoothie.
  4. Put it in a bowl and add whatever toppings you’d like. I love banana, granola, honey, and coconut flakes!

Acai bowls can take awhile in the morning but if you pre make a huge bowl of it and freeze it, you can defrost a little each morning and just add your toppings. I also find that if you are still hungry after having a bowl, you can add some type of nut butter to increase your protein which will help you stay fuller longer.

I love acai bowls and they can be such a fun treat in the morning or at any point during the day. You can make them exactly however you’d like which makes it the best and easiest way to switch up your morning breakfasts.

Don’t forget to check out my pinterest for more recipes and check out my last recipe for apple crisp here!

My Vegan Apple Crisp

Chef Cass is back with a yummy fall dessert: vegan apple crisp. This dessert is perfect for a post apple picking treat and its vegan. I love vegan apple crisp and when I found this recipe, I fell in love. Add a little bit of vanilla ice cream or whip cream (vegan or non) to this you will be in vegan apple crisp heaven.

Ingredients:

Filling

4 Peeled Apples

1/2 c Brown Sugar

1/4 c Flour

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Salt

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1tsp Vanilla Extract

Topping

1 c Flour

1 1/2 c Oats

1 c Brown Sugar

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

3/4 c Vegan Butter

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:

  1. Cube the apples and add to mixing bowl with all of the other filling ingredients. Be sure to mix the apples so that they are properly coated and add to a 9 x 13 in greased pan.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  3. In a separate bowl, prepare the topping by adding all of the dry ingredients first then add the melted butter and vanilla.
  4. Use your fingers to crumble the toping over the filling so that it is evenly spread across.
  5. Bake for 50 minutes until the top is golden brown and the inside is all gooey and yummy.
  6. Cool for 10 minutes and then add whatever toppings you’d like.

I’m literally so obsessed with fall and eating yummy desserts like this really help me get into the fall mood. I hope you enjoy this recipe and if you try it out let me know!

My Go To Fall Dinner Recipe

With fall right around the corner, my dinner recipes start to be quicker and easier to make. With getting back into the routine of working at night, I like to make sure that whatever I’m having for dinner is easy enough to either prep before I go to work or something that I can easily throw together once I get home. Today I’m sharing with you the easiest teriyaki chicken and veggie recipe for a fall dinner recipe!

Ingredients:

Chicken Breast (Cubed)

Soy Vay Teriyaki Sauce

Stir Fry Veggie Packet

Brown Rice

Directions:

  1. Marinate the cubed chicken breast for 1 hour in the Teriyaki sauce
  2. Once marinated, cook chicken in a large pan on top of stove on medium heat. Cook until the pieces have turned white.
  3. Add the veggie pack to the cooked chicken in the pan and add 1/4 c of the teriyaki sauce on top.
  4. Make your rice (I used the Trader Joe’s Freezer bag brown rice, click here) and you are ready to eat!

I wasn’t lying when I told you this recipe was so fast. I like to prep the chicken before work and then once I get home I throw it all together and I have a pretty healthy meal. I also sometimes make this recipe without the chicken so it’s perfect for my vegetarian friends too. You just have to be careful about this teriyaki sauce and the amount of sodium you’re intaking but this meal is so yummy! This fall dinner recipe is perfect for on the go nights or a cozy night in. Hope you enjoyed this quick little recipe, don’t forget to check out my Pinterest for more recipes or my latest recipe on the blog! @cassiedenisco

My Healthy, Fresh Salsa Recipe

Fun fact about me: I won first place for this salsa recipe I’m about to share with you. I was only 10 and it was a 4H Fair but it still counts and this recipe is seriously so yummy and healthy. To be clear, chunky salsa is seriously the only was to eat salsa so enjoy this colorful and easy recipe!

Ingredients:

4 medium size tomatoes

1/2 medium size red onion

1 small hot cherry pepper

Handful of cilantro

Handful of basil

Handful of parsley

Directions:

Seriously, this recipe is SO easy! Just finely chop up your herbs and cut up your tomatoes, onions, and peppers to be about the same size. Add them all together and mix. I like to let this salsa sit over night in the fridge before eating it so that all of the flavors have time to set and mix together.

I know how much effort it is to make your own salsa but it seriously is so worth it because of how much healthier it is. Store bought salsas have so much added salt and preservatives so that they can last longer. I know the convenience of them but knowing exactly what’s in your food I swear makes it taste so much better. And, when you’re at a party, you have the added pride of telling people you handmade that yummy salsa!

P.S. this salsa would also be so yummy in a burrito bowl or on top of chicken

Don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest @cassiedenisco for more recipes!

My Vegan Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

My oatmeal cookie recipe is probably the best that you’ll ever have. I personally hate raisins but this cookie has so many other flavors that you don’t even realize the raisins are in it. It’s also vegan but you can of course substitute the vegan butter with regular butter in order for it to not be but I highly suggest trying these cookies vegan before you judge them. These cookies are awesome because most of us have these simple ingredients at home already. Here’s the recipe!

Ingredients:

  • 1 c All Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/8 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 c Vegan Butter/Margarine (make sure it’s softened)
  • 1/4 c Sugar
  • 1/2 c Brown Sugar
  • 1 mini unsweetened apple sauce cup
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1 -1/2 c Oats
  • 3 mini Boxes of raisins (1 c Raisins)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Mix the vegan butter, sugar, and brown sugar with a hand mixer or an electric mixer until everything is well combined
  3. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, applesauce, & vanilla
  4. Add the oats and raisins last, mixing until everything is well combined and the dough is kind of sticky
  5. Use a spoon and place the cookies on to a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper
  6. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until golden on the edges

As you can see, these cookies are soooo easy to make. I usually make about 32 each time with this batter and they’re perfect to bring to any party or barbecue this summer. The best part is that they’re vegan so you can enjoy the dough guilt free. If these cookies aren’t sweet enough for you, I highly suggest adding a little maple syrup to the batter. I hope you enjoyed this recipe and use the hashtag #cassiescookie if you try them out!

C